Keeping up with this is like chasing that little white rabbit in wonderland.
There has been much movie watching over the past few days. En route to Oneonta, we made a pit stop in Poopkeepsie for a couple of days.
Submitted for your approval, we watched around 5 movies. I use the term "about" because there was much discussion while they were on. The films were, in order, "Ravenous", "The Devil's Nightmare", "Ran", "Lolita" and finally "Dead Man".
"Ravenous"
A tale of cannibalism. Guy Pearce ("The King's Speech") and David Arquette (all the Scream movies) star in a man eat man war of the world. The eating of human flesh gives you super healing powers apparently in this story. After all, you are who you eat...? I digress. The movie wasn't terribly gripping, however the music kept everything moving. Composed by one of the dudes from The Gorillaz and someone else I knew nothing about. I advise not seeing this on a full stomach.
"The Devil's Nightmare"
One of my favorite B horror movies. Starring Erika Blanc (probably some softcore italian pornos) and a cast that resembles the cast of Gilligan's Island. The story follows 7 "sinners" and a preist going on a tour and stopping at a haunted castle. Typical horror plot, full of everything a horror movie needs. Mystery Science Theater has not riffed on this one, which makes me think I should. So good.
"Ran" (not the past tense of run, but Japanese for "Revolt" or "Chaos"
Long and subtitled. Great for a sunday morning, especially with bathroom and snack breaks (separately of course). Akira Kurosawa had been making many many movies in his day, mostly in black and white. This was made towards the end of his career, and since technology permitted, he used color film. And by used color, i mean it. He didn't simply have everything in color, but the colors almost told the story. The story, being an emperor, in essence dividing his kingdom into three parts, giving each to his three sons. Whew, an epic story of battle and blood and brotherhood. Again, in this film, the music was extremely appropriate and interesting. One seen in particular shows the death of almost 100 samari on horses with guns (the heck?). The audio durring this part would have been loud and painful explosions, however in a montage, the music drowns it all out and simply tells the story of war.
"Lolita"
Stanely Kubric near his finest. Hard to say where amongst his other movies this falls, but it certainly was a terrific movie. Full of sexual innuendos and marvelous acting. The story may be somewhat unsettling, a older man courting around a much, much younger girl (who doesn't seem to mind). This was remade with a young Natalie Portman several years later, I plan to watch it soon. James Mason ("North by North-West) plays an english professor with a crippling thirst for youth. It's a classic and if you haven't seen it, what the heck are you doing?
"Dead Man"
Jim Jarmusch's black and white story of a "dead man" played by Johnny Depp (if you don't know Johnny Depp, get out from under a rock). A very western feel, complete with indians and gunslingers sprinkled nicely with the original music of Neil Young. The music seemed to have been recorded in two takes, live while Neil Young was watching the movie. (That's not a bad thing at all by the way). Overall the movie felt very raw and inspired. The entire movie is on Youtube, and I look forward to watching it again, seeing as the second half, my ear was being politely chewed off by unwelcomed commentary.
Alright, I believe this brings us up to date. I have safely made it back to the land of snow and hills for my final semester at college and my roommates have multiple DVDs I have not seen. Today's movie was going to be the new "Green Hornet" movie with Seth Rogan ("Freaks and Geeks") but then I realized that I'd rather wait for it on DVD.
Keep it here for more movie reviews.
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